 Until just last week, I had never heard of Dermatographism or "skin writing" which is the layman term for it, but it is a real thing. Believe me, I should know. I've been living with it for TWELVE long years. Yes, twelve long years. I believe that my pregnancy with my daughter (twelve years ago) triggered it. Only, I had no idea what it was called. For a long time I actually wondered if I was crazy, if it was all just in my head, because I'd seen several doctors over that space of time, with no luck and with no name for my condition. So, I gave up and figured I simply had to live with it. And that's what I do--live with it. But this last month, the itching and hives seemed to get worse, isolating itself to my arms, fingers, and neck. It drove me batty and I carried Cortizone cream and Benadryl spray with me everywhere. Even to work. I took a Claritin every morning and a Benadryl every night to get some relief. It calmed down, but it didn't go away. Finally, I broke down and decided to make an appointment with a dermatologist even though I'd been through this whole thing before and doubted anything would be different. Couldn't hurt, right? Unfortunately, the day my appointment came, I didn't have much of an outbreak and figured the appointment would be a complete waste of time. I went anyway. Maybe she could give me some suggestions if nothing else. I couldn't possibly be any worse off. We talked for a few minutes and then she turned my arm over and dragged her fingernail down the length of my arm. Then we went back to talking. Within a matter of 30 seconds or so, a dark red, raised line appeared on my arm and the hives came alive. "You have Dermatographism," she said. I stared at her. "There's actually a name for this?" She nodded. I almost cried. I had never heard of this term in the twelve years I'd been dealing with it. Am I cured? No. But she did give me some advice to help calm my symptoms--steroid cream for flair ups and I'm to take an Allegra in the morning and two Zyrtec in the evening (the Zyrtec kicks my butt, though). I can see a bit of a difference, but the redness and hives are still there. They'll probably always be there, but at least I now know I'm not crazy. Well... at least when it comes to this. (Below are two pictures of my arms. This was taken within 30 seconds of scratching my arms with my nail. You can see the hives starting to pop up, but honestly, this isn't nearly as bad as the time the dermatologist scratched me. So, the antihistamines must be working).
When I mentioned this condition to my coworkers, and actually showed them a few pictures online, one coworker found it interesting that I'm a writer and that I have a skin writing disorder. Go figure. Maybe instead of taking down plot notes in a notebook, I can just write on my arms or legs :) Additional Resources in case you're curious:
I joined a Facebook Page called "I'm a Skin Writer" Mayo Clinic Written in Skin Treatment and Management
1 Comment
Something HUGE hit me as I walked around, staring at these pieces of art. I think some would see them and think 1) What the heck is this? OR 2) I could throw a bunch of crap together and make the same thing. That is NOT at all what I thought. Well, that's not necessarily true. Some I wondered what it was I was looking at, but not once did I look at a piece and think, "I can do that." In fact, these pieces, as abstract and different as they are, made me excited.  SOUTH AMERICAN TRIANGLE, by Bruce Nauman. Metal beams formed a triangle with an upside down chair suspended in the middle. Look at the beautiful designs it made on the floor. My first thought was, "DO THE ART!" Let me expound: Do the art, whatever art it may be. Do it! THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU. The world needs the art that only YOU can create. I don't care the medium--books, paintings, photography, dance, acting, music, etc....DO THE ART! 
 "Lick and Lather" by Janine Antoni> You may wonder why the title is what it is. Let me explain: The bust on the left is made entirely out of chocolate. While the the one on the right is made out of soap (hence the "Lather" part of the title. What about the "Lick?" Well, the lighter color on the chocolate bust is where the artist licked the sculpture. Interesting, huh?  Nick Cave’s “Soundsuit” You can learn more about this piece by clicking on the picture above. The above piece was by far my FAVORITE! Seriously, there's legs, and beaded baskets from my childhood (I think my aunt had a ton of these), there's a BUNNY on the top and then to make this art piece truly fantastic IT'S IN THE SHAPE OF A CHRISTMAS TREE! If I had thousands of dollars that I didn't need to use to simply live, I would buy this and put this in my living room. every holiday representing right there. Of course, that is not the intent of this art piece. Please, please, please, if you have a moment, go and check this incredible artist out HERE. I want to share a snippet from his site with you: "He says of himself "I have found my middle and now am working toward what I am leaving behind." Cave is well known for his Soundsuits, sculptural forms based on the scale of his body. Soundsuits camouflage the body, masking and creating a second skin that conceals race, gender, and class, forcing the viewer to look without judgment." Profound, right? I am so glad I took the time to visit this particular museum. It filled me hope. It made me want to create. It helped me to realize that my art (novel writing) may not be completely understood by some, or liked and loved by others, but that's okay. Not everyone has to get me. Not everyone has to accept my story lines or my endings. That's okay. THAT'S ART. And there is a place in this giant world for all of us. Yes, even you. Go make your art. And in case you think you can do this art or that your kid could make something like this, watch the video below and open your mind a little more. |
My Face...Enjoy!
Ahh, the fruits of my labors...
Blogs & Websites You Should Visit
Click for more info about Mallory Rock, Cover Designer
Click for more info about Megan Harris, Editor
Blog AwardsCategories
All
FUN STUFF  
 
 |
